How to make sure safety is part of your medicine routine

In a nutshell, take the right medicine, at the right dose and at the right time. Doctors take a lot into account — your allergies, if any, and potential drug interactions to name two — before prescribing medication for you.

• Don’t skip or change doses (or stop taking a prescribed medication altogether) without first talking with your doctor — even if you’re feeling better or think the medicine isn’t working.

  Many antibiotics must be taken for the full length of time prescribed even after your symptoms go away. Otherwise, the infection could return in a more severe form. And every medicine is different, with the doses determined by what’s been tested in clinical trials. That’s just one reason why you shouldn’t change your dosage.

• Medicines that treat chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes work only when taken regularly and as directed.

Taking someone else’s prescription medication can cause unexpected side effects or dangerous reactions. For example:

• Your medical problem, including pain, could get worse.

• Misuse of medications may lead to addiction.

Be sure to read the information that comes with the medication for specific storage instructions. Some medicines must be stored in the refrigerator, but most are best stored up and away, in a cool, dry place, away from children, and not exposed to extreme high or low temperatures.

There are potential risks to taking expired medicines or drugs stored in extreme temperatures.

• If medicine has degraded or weakened over time, it might not work as intended, or worse — could become harmful and cause unwanted side effects.

• People with serious or life-threatening diseases may be at higher risk of potential harm from expired medicines.

Some foods and drinks can cause serious interactions with medications. And some medications shouldn’t be taken with alcohol. That can result in loss of coordination, memory problems, sleepiness and falls.

• Interactions can occur, for example, when one of your medications affects the way your other medicine works, or an herbal preparation or supplement affects the way another medication works.

• Learn about possible interactions and side effects of your medications by reading drug labels on your medicine, or talking with your doctor or pharmacist.